Windshield cleaner mechanism



Aug. 29, 1950 H. J. FINDLEY WINDSHIELD CLEANER MECHANISM 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10', 1944 Ill/10.,

Q Hold/7E0 I F/A/DLEY BY I 21% Zlaaqfinyv gm Aug. 29, 1950 H. J. FINDLEY WINDSHIELD CLEANER MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1944 INVENTOR. flak/7P0 J F/NDLEY BY W i Au 29, 1950 H. J. FINDLEY IINDSHIELD CLEANER MECHANISM Filed July 10, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvron f/Olx/MPD J. F/A mEY Patented Aug. 29, 1950 WINDSHIELD CLEANER MECHANISM Howard J. Findley, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignmto Eaton Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 10, 1944, Serial No. 544,298

16 Claims.

This invention relates to windshield cleaner mechanisms and, as one of its objects, aims to provide an improved mechanism of this kind in which the windshield cleaner is operated from the vehicle driving motor in a highly satisfactory manner.

I am aware that various attempts have been made to operate windshield cleaners from the driving motors or engines of the vehicles served by such cleaners, but all of the proposed installations which have come to my attention are subject to the disadvantage that the cleaner is not driven at a constant speed but fluctuates widely in speed in accordance with variations in the speed of the vehicle driving motor. The present invention eliminates this disadvantage and, as another of its objects, provides a windshield wiper mechanism in which the cleaning device is driven from the vehicle motor and operates at a speed which is substantially constant for all motor speeds above a predetermined valve.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved windshield cleaner mechanism for a motor vehicle in which the cleaning device is driven from the vehicle motor at a substantially constant speed by the use of a substantially constant speed magnetic coupling.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved windshield cleaner mechanism of the character mentioned which embodies novel electrical control means including an automatic parking switch.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation showing a vehicle having an auxiliary device and a windshield cleaner mechanism operated from the driving motor of the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and more or less diagrammatic in form, further illustrating the mechanism of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation showing an-' other windshield cleaner mechanism driven from the vehicle motor.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view partly in section further illustrating the windshield cleaner mechanism of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation showing still another windshield cleaner mechanism driven from the vehicle motor, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view partly in section further illustrating the windshield cleaner mechanism of Fig. 5.

The benefits of the present invention can be obtained with various different embodiments of my windshield cleaner mechanisms and a plurality of such embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail hereinafter. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 I show a motor vehicle l0 in the form of an automobile having a passenger or driving compartment II and an engine compartment I2. The compartment II is defined by the usual vehicle structure including a floor l3, a dashboard M, a cowl l5, and a windshield IS. The compartment II also contains an instrument panel l'l located adjacent the base of the windshield IS.

The engine compartment I2 is located beneath the hood l8, which extends forwardly of the cowl l5, and is separated from the passenger compartment H by the dashboard I4. A vehicle driving motor 20 is located in the compartment l2 and may be a conventional expansible chamber motor such as a reciprocating or rotar internal combustion engine or it could be an internal combustion turbine. The driving motor 20 is provided with a cooling system including a conventional radiator 2| which is also contained in the compartment l2 and located adjacent the forward end of the driving motor. As shown in Fig. l the vehicle motor 20 is also provided at its forward end with a driven shaft or power takeoff means 22.

The windshield cleaner mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a cleaning device 24 which is mounted on the vehicle at a point adjacent the windshield l6 and comprises one or more oscillating wipers 25 which are movable over the surface of the windshield l6 and a motion converting device 26 for actuating such wipers. The wipers 25 are mounted on fixed pivots 21 and the adjacent ends of the wiper arms are pivotally connected to one end of actuating link 28. The other end of the link 28 is pivoted to an arm 29 which is carried by a rotatable shaft 30 projecting from the device 26. Rotation of the shaft 30 and the arm 29 carried thereby causes oscillating movement to be transmitted through the link 28 for imparting a sweeping oscillation or reciprocating movement to the wipers 25.

The motion converting mechanism 26 comprises a closed lubricant-retaining housing 3| having a rotatable driving worm 32 therein and a worm gear 33 constantly in mesh with the Worm and driven thereby. The worm 82 is connected with the outer or upper end of a flexible shaft 54 through which driving torque is transmitted to the cleaning device 24, as will be presently explained. The worm gear 85 is fixed on the shaft 80 which carries the actuating arm 28.

As indicated above, the windshield cleaning device 24 is driven from the vehicle motor 28 and this can be accomplished in various different ways which involve the use of a substantially constant speed coupling. This coupling is preferably a magnetic coupling 35, of an appropriate type or construction such as an eddy-current coupling, which enables the cleaning device 24 to be driven at a substantially constant speed for all operating speeds of the vehicle drivin motor above a predetermined value.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the magnetic coupling 88 serves the windshield cleaning device 24 in a manner which will be presently explained in greater detail and also serves another auxiliary apparatus or, device which in this instance is in the form of a vehicle ventilating and/or heating apparatus of the kind disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 544,296, filed July 10, 1944, now Patent No. 2,445,392 granted July 20, 1948. This other auxiliary apparatus is here only briefly described and comprises an air impelling means such as a blower 38 of the centrifugal type which is driven from the power take-off 22 of the vehicle motor through the magnetic coupling 85. The blower 98 has an intake 89 extending forwardly of the radiator 2| and provided with a filter 49 and a valve 4| which is biased toward an open position by a tension spring 42. The blower 95 also has an air delivery means 43 extending therefrom to the passenger compartment II for discharging air into the latter. means 43 may have a silencing means 48a. therein and, if desired, may also include a heat exchanger for heating the air as shown in said copending application. v

The magnetic coupling 95 comprises an outer member or housing 45 constructed of magnetic material and inner member or rotor 48 also constructed of magneic material. The rotor 45 is located in the housing 45 and carries a magnetizing coil or winding 41. The housing or input member 45 is mounted on suitable bearings 48 for rotation about the shaft 49 of the blower 85. The rotor or output member 45 is drivingly connected with the blower shaft 49 as by means of the pin 55.

The magnetic coupling '35 is designed to operate with continuous slippage between its housing and rotor members and which depends upon the extent of energization of the coil 41. This magnetic coupling forms a part of the driving means by which the blower 28 and the windshield cleaning device 24 are driven from the power take-off 22 of the vehicle motor 20. The rotatable housing 45 of the magnetic coupling can be connected with the power take-oil 22 by any suitable torque transmitting means such as the belt 5| shown in this instance which extends around a pulley 52 of the power take-off means 22 and a pulley 58 carriedby the housing of the magnetic coupling. While the vehicle motor 28 is in operation the housing 45 of the magnetic coupling is constantly driven at speeds which vary with the motor speed but the shaft 49 will be driven at a speed which is substantially constant for all speeds of the vehicle motor above a predetermined value.

To permit the cleaning device 24 to be rendered inoperative independently of the blower 95 the flexible driving shaft 34 is connected with the shaft 49 of the magnetic coupling 25 through a suitable clutch, preferably a solenoid clutch 55, as shown in this instance. The clutch 55 embodies a magnetizing winding or solenoid 59 and a pair of cooperating toothed clutch faces or elements 51 and 58. The clutch element 51 is carried by the outer end of the shaft 49 and the clutch element 58 is carried by a movable plunger 59 which is slidably splined on a stem clutch elements 51 and 58 and thereby establish a torque transmitting connection from the shaft 48 to the worm 82 of the cleaning device 24 through the flexible shaft 84. Continuing with the description of the windshield cleaning device 24, it should be explained that this device embodies an automatic parking switch 53. This switch comprises stationary and movable contacts 53:; and 83b carried, respectively, by stationary and movable arms 54a and 54b which are insulated from each other and from the housing 9|. The movable arm 54b has a trip portion or finger 540 located to be inter- The air delivery mittently engaged by the actuating arm 29 during the rotation of the latter by the shaft III. Each engagement of the trip portion 54c by the arm 28 causes the contact arm 54b to be moved or flexed to cause opening of the contacts 83a and 58b of the parking switch 53.

It should also be explained at this point that the winding 41 of the magnetic coupling 35 can be energized through the use of a pair of slip rings 55 and 55 carried by the shaft 49 and with which a pair of brushes 55a and 55a, cooperate.

For controlling the operation of the vehicle ventilating apparatus which includes the blower 38 and the operation of the windshield cleaning device 24, I provide a blower control 58 and a wiper control 59, both of which are mounted on the instrument panel so as to be readily accessible for manual operation from the passenger or driving compartment The blower control 58 comprises a pull rod I8 having an actuating knob II at its outer end and a stop or abutment member 12 at its inner end. The pull rod 18 also carries an electrical contact or finger I3 which cooperates with a resistor I4. The stop 12 is engaged by a thrust element I5 which is carried by the outer end of a flexible actuating shaft or wire I5 for the air intake valve 4|. The lower end of the wire 15 is connected with an actuating arm 4|a of the air intake valve 4| so that the action of the tension spring 42 urging the valve 4| toward its open position normally holds the element 15 against the stop I2. By withdrawing the pull rod I8 to its successive positions Ha, IIb and I la the stop 12 is shifted to permit opening of the intake valve 4| by the spring 42 and the contact 19 is moved into engagement with or along the resistor 14 for energizing or varying the energizetion of the winding 41 of the magnetic coupling 25 through an electrical circuit which will be presently traced.

curved solid contact 18 and a movable switch arm 88. This control also embodies a stationary contact 8| which is located adjacent to, but spaced from, the dead end of the resistor 18. The arm 88 is movable about a pivot 82 so as to sweep over the resistor 18 and the curved contact I9 and is shiftable into engagement with'rthe stationary contact 8| by being disengaged from the curved contact 19 and the resistor 18.

Electric current of appropriate characteristics for energizing the magnetic coupling 38 and the solenoid clutch 55 can be obtained from any available source such as the storage battery 83 of the vehicle which has one side thereof grounded as indicated at 84. The other side of the battery 83 is connected with the movable arm 88 of the wiper control 89 through the conductors 85 and 88 and is also connected with the movable contact 84b of the parking switch 83 through the conductor 81. The conductor 85 may have a key controlled switch 98 therein which can be the conventional ignition switch of the vehicle. The resistor 14 of the blower control 68 is connected with the stationary contact 8| of the wiper control 89 by the conductor 89. The resistor I8 of the wiper control and the contact finger 13 of the blower control 88 are both connected with the brush 88a of the magnetic coupling 38 by the conductor 98 and its branches 98a and 98b. The solid curved contact 19 of the wiper control 89 and the stationary contact 83a of the parking switch 83 are both connected with the winding 58 of the solenoid clutch 55 by the conductor 9i and its branches SM and 9th. The remote ends of the windings 58 and 41 of the solenoid clutch 55 and the magnetic couplings 38 are grounded as indicated respectively at 55a and 38a.

With the control means and circuit connections above described it will be seen that when operation of the winshield cleaning device 24 is desired, the arm 88 is shifted into engagement with the resistor '18 and the curved contact 19. This causes current from the battery 93 to be supplied to the magnetic coupling 38 through the conductors 98 and 98b and to the winding of the solenoid clutch 55 through the conductors 9! and Bio. The energization of the magnetic coupling causes the shaft 49 to be driven from the power take-off 22 of the vehicle motor and the energization of the solenoid clutch 55 causes the clutch elements and 58 to be engaged for connecting the cleaning device 28 with the shaft 49. Movement of the arm 88 along the resistor 18 will vary the energization of the magnetic coupling and will produce a corresponding desired variation in the operating speed of the windshield cleaning device 24. When the operation of the windshield cleaner is no longer desired, the arm 88 is shifted out of engagement with the resistor 18 and the curved contact I9 but the operation of the cleaning device is not immediately stopped inasmuch as the parking switch 83 then acts as a holding switch for temporarily maintaining the solenoid clutch 55 energized. As soon as the actuating arm 29 of the cleaning device 24 engages the trip portion 68c of the parking switch, the contacts 83a and 84b are opened to thereby de-energize the solenoid clutch and discontinue the operation of the wipers 25 leaving the latter in a parked position.

During the operation of the ventilating apparatus under the control of the blower control 88, movement of the knob H to its first position Ila permits opening of the intake valve 4| but at this time the contact 13 does not yet engage the resistance 79 and the magnetic coupling 38 'remains unenergized. The opening of the intake valve 4| permits air to be supplied to the com-- partment H as the result of the forward motio of the vihicle. When the knob H is withdrawn further to either of its positions 'Hb or He the 5 resistance 14 is engaged by the contact I3 thereby energizing the magnetic coupling 38 and causing the blower 38 mm driven at a speed depending upon the point of engagement of the contact 13 with the resistance. 14.

It is important to note that the resistance M is connected with the battery as through the wiper control 89 so that the current which is sup plied to the -magnetic coupling through the blower control 88 must first pass through the wiper control 89. These circuit connections enable the wiper control to dominate or overrule the blower control 88 so far as the energization of the magnetic coupling 38 is concerned. Whenever the windshield cleaner 24 is being operated it is desirable that the speed of the wipers 25 be subject to the control of the operator of the vehicle and not be influenced by or dependent upon the operation of the ventilating apparatus. For this reason the current for energizing the magnetic coupling 38 is supplied to the blower control 88 through the wiper control 89 so that whenever the cleaning device 24 is put into operation the wiper control 88 will overrule the blower control 88. During the time that the arm 88 of the wiper control 89 is in engagement with the contact 8!, the ventilating apparatus can be controlled for its full range of operation by means of the knob H. However, whenever the windshield cleaning device 28 is put into operation by movement of the arm 88 into engagement with the resistance 18 the energization of the magnetic coupling 38 is then taken over by the wiper control 89 and so long as the cleaning device 24 remains in operation the blower 38 can be operated only at a speed such as the magnetic coupling 38 will give for the particular setting at which the movable arm 88 is then placed.

In the form of the windshield cleaning mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, I show a wind- 45 shield cleaning device 93 which is substantially identical with the device 28 above described but which is driven from a shaft extension 98 of the electric generator 95 of the motor vehicle 98.

The windshield cleaner 93 is connected with the 60 generator shaft 98 by a flexible shaft 9'! and a magnetic coupling 98, the latter being substantially identical with the magnetic coupling 35 above described.

As shown in Fig. 4 the outer member or hous- 85 ing 99 of the magnetic coupling is pinned or otherwise connected to the generator shaft 98 and the rotor or inner member I88 of the coupling is mounted for rotation about this shaft and is connected with the flexible shaft 9'! by 60 means of the stem or rotor extension I8 I. Energizing current can be supplied to the winding I82 of the magnetic coupling through a pair of slip rings I83 and I84 carried .by the rotor extension I8! and with which the brushes l83a 65 and I841: cooperate respectively. The rotor extension I8! is supported for rotation in part by the rotor E88 and in part by a stationary cupshaped housing member I85 carried by a bracket I88 which is suitably supported as by being con- 70 nected with the housing of the generator 95.

The windshield cleaner 93 embodies a parking switch 188 which is similar to the parking switch 83 above described and the operation of the cleaning device is controlled from the passenger is compartment I89 of thevehicle by means of a I 7 wiper control IIIl ,located on the instrument panel III. The control IIII comprises a resistor II2, a stationary contact 3 adjacent to but spaced from the dead end of the resistor and a movable switch arm IIl whiclrisconnected with the storage battery II5 through a key controlled switch IIO. One end of the resistor III is connected with the brush IIIla of the magnetic coupling 98 by a conductor I I1 and is also connected with one of the contacts of the parking switch I08 by the conductor H8. The other contact of the parking switch is connected with the stationary contact H3 by the conductor Hi.

When operation of the windshield cleaning device 93 is desired the switch arm Ill is moved into engagement with the resistor II2 to thereby energize the magnetic coupling 08. The wind-- shield cleaner will then be driven from the generator shaft 94 at a speed which is substantially constant for all speeds of the vehicle motor 83:: which are above a predetermined value. The speed of the windshield cleaner can be varied by shifting the position of the switch arm II on the resistance II2 so as to correspondingly vary the.energization of the magnetic coupling 88. When operation of the windshield cleaner is to be discontinued, the switch arm I is returned to the stationary contact II3 but the windshield cleaner does not immediately come to a stop. When the switch arm I I4 has been shifted to the stationary contact II3 the energizing circuit for the magnetic coupling 98 then extends through the parking switch I08 and the opening of this switch by the actuating arm I of the cleaning device causes the magnetic coupling to be deenergized and the cleaning device comes to a stop leaving the wipers I2I thereof in a parked position.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 I show a windshield cleaning device I substantially identical with those above described and being driven from a power take-oil I25 of the vehicle driving motor I27 through a magnetic coupling I28, the latter being substantially identical with the magnetic coupling 36 above described. The magnetic coupling I28 is connected with the windshield cleaner I25 through a flexible shaft I29 and the outer member or housing of the coupling is driven directly from the power take-off I 26 through a suitable torque-transmitting means such as the belt I30.

The cleaning device I25 embodies a parking switch I3I which is electrically connected with a wiper control means I32 located on the instrument panel I33 in the driving or passenger compartment of the vehicle. The wiper control I32 comprises a resistor I35, a stationary contact I35 spaced from one end of the resistor and a movable switch arm I3'I. The control I32 is similar to the control IIII described above except thatthe resistor I35 has one end thereof connected with the battery I38 through the key-controlled switch I39 and its other end connected with one of the contacts of the parking switch I3I. The other contact of the parking switch I3I is connected with the stationary contact I36.

When operation of the windshield cleaner I25 is desired, the switch arm I3! is moved into engagement with the resistor I35 to thereby energize the magnetic coupling I28. This will cause the cleaning device I25 to be driven from the power take-off I26 of the vehicle motor I21 at a speed which is substantially constant for all motor speeds coming within the usual driving 8 the cleaner can be varied in slim the arm Iflalongtheresistorlfltocorrespcndinglyvary theenergizationof the magnetic coupling. When operationofthecleaningdevice I2listcbediscontinued, the'switch arm I31 is shifted to the stationary contact I35 and the subsequent opening of the parking switch III de-energises the magnetic coupling and stops the cleaning device with the wipers I40 thereof in a parked position.

In the foregoing detailed description of my windshield wiper mechanisms it has been stated that the windshield cleaning devices are driven at a substantially constant speed and, while this is usually desirable, there may be certain installations or conditions where it would be desirabletohavethespeedofthecleaningdsvice increase somewhat as the speed of the engine and vehicle is increased. One reason why such an increase in the speed of cleaning device might be desirable is that during travel of the vehicle at higher speeds a greater amount of snow or rain strikes the windshield and is required to be wiped or cleaned therefrom. Such an increase in the speed of the cleaning'device can be obtained by suitably varying the characteristics of the magnetic coupling. It should therefore be understood that in speaking of a substantially constant speed for the cleaning device it is contemplated that a small increase in speed with increased speed of operation of the engine and vehicle can be tolerated or may even be desirable.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that the present invention provides improved windshield cleaner mechanisms in which a windshield cleaning device is driven from the vehicle motor but operates at a speed which is substantially constant for all motorspeeds above a predetermined value".

While I have illustrated and described my improved windshield wiper mechanisms in considerable detail, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be correspondingly limited, but regard my invention as including all changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and a variable speed driving motor provided with/a power take-off, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper, a magnetic coupling operable with slippage when energized, means for electrically energizing the magnetic coupling, said magnetic coupling having a variable speed rotatable input member connected with said power take-ofi and a rotatable output member controllable to a substantially constant speed through the control energization of the magnetic coupling, and means connecting said motion converting means with said output member.

2. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-oil, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper. a magnetic coupling operable with slippage when energized, means for electrically energizing the magnetic coupling, said magnetic coupling having a variable speed rotatable input member connected with said power take-off and a rotatable output range of the vehicle. The speed of operation of is member controllable to a substantially constant speed through the control energization of the vehicle having a passenger compartment provided with a windshield and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-off, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for oscillating said wiper, means connecting said motion converting means with said power take-oil including a magnetic coupling operable with continuous slippage when energized, an energizing circuit for said magnetic coupling, and control means connected in said circuit and operable from said compartment for controlling the energization of said magnetic coupling so as to vary the speed of oscillation of said wiper.

4. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a passenger compartment provided with a windshield and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-off, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, mechanism driven by said motor including a substantially constant. speed magnetic coupling operable with continuous slippage and connected with said power take-off for actuating said wiper at a selected substantially constant speed for all operating speeds of said motor above a predetermined value, a circuit for energizing said coupling, and control means connected in said circuit and operable from said passenger compartment for varying the energization of the coupling to correspond with said selected substantially constant speed for the wiper.

5. A windshield cleaner mechanism comprising an oscillating wiper, a motion converting means for oscillating said wiper, a power source including a variable speed power device and a rotary shaft driven thereby, a rotary magnetic coupling connecting said motion converting means with said rotary shaft and being operable with continuous slippage,'a parking switch adapted to be actuated intermittently by said motion converting means for controlling the parking of said wiper, a source of energizing current, a manually operable switch device including a resistance for varying the energization of said magnetic coupling, and circuit connections connecting said magnetic coupling and said parking switch with said switch device and enabling the latter to control the energization of said magnetic coupling either through said resistance or through said parking switch.

6. A windshield cleaner mechanism comprising anoscillating wiper, a motion converting means for oscillating said wiper, a power source including a variable speed power device and a rotary shaft driven thereby, a rotary magnetic coupling connecting said motion converting means with said rotary shaft and being operable with continuous slippage, a parking switch adapted to be actuated intermittently by said motion converting means for controlling the parking of said wiper, a source of energizing current, a switch device embodying a resistance and a fixed contact spaced therefrom and a control contact manually movable to positions engaging either "said resistance or said fixed contact, and circuit connections connecting said magnetic coupling and said parkingswitch with said resistance and fixed contact and enabling said switch device to control the energization of said magnetic coupling either through said resistance or through said parking switch.

7. A windshield cleaner mechanism tor a vehicle having a windshield and also having an auxiliary device to be driven and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-01f, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper, a rotary magnetic coupling connected with said power take-off and being operable with continuous slippage, said auxiliary device being connected with said magnetic coupling, means connecting said motion converting means with said magnetic coupling including a solenoid clutch, a parking switch adapted to be actuated intermittently by said motion converting means for controlling the parking of said wiper, a source of energizing current, a manually operable switch device including a resistance for varying the energization of said magnetic coupling, and circuit connections connecting said magnetic coupling, solenoid clutch and parking switch with said switch device and enabling the latter to control the energization of said magnetic coupling either through said resistance or through said parking switch and also enabling said switch device to control the energization of said solenoid clutch.

8. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and also having an auxiliary device to be driven and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-ofi, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper, a magnetic coupling operable with slippage when energized and forming acommon driving connection from said power take-ofl for said auxiliary device and said motion converting mechanism, said magnetic coupling having a variable speed rotatable input member connected with said power take-ofl and a substantially constant speed rotatable output member with which said auxiliary device and said motion converting mechanism are connected, and means for electrically energizing said magnetic coupling.

9. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and also having an auxiliary device to be driven and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-off, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper, a magnetic coupling operable with slippage when energized and forming a common driving connection from said power take-off for said auxiliary device and said motion converting mechanism, said magnetic coupling having a variable speed rotatable input member connected with said power take-oft and a substantially con-' stant speed rotatable output member with which said auxiliary device is connected, means connecting said motion converting mechanism with said output member including a solenoid clutch, means for electrically energizing said magnetic coupling, and means for electrically energizing said solenoid clutch.

10. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and also having an auxiliary device to be driven and a variable speed driving motor provided with a power take-off, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for causing oscillation of said wiper, means connecting said auxiliary device with said motor to be driven thereby including a substantially constant speed magnetic coupling adapted to operate with continuous 11 slippage while energized, means operably con necting said motion converting mechanism'with said magnetic coupling including a solenoid clutch, and means for electrically energizing said nectingsaid motion converting mechanism with said magnetic coupling including a solenoid clutch. and electric circuit connections for energizing said magnetic coupling and solenoid clutch and including a control means for controlling the -15 slippage while energized, means operably conoperation of said auxiliary device and a control means ioncontrolling the operation of said wiper, said circuit connections being such that actuation of the control means for said wiper renders. the control means for said auxiliary device ineiiective.

12. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a passenger compartment provided witha windshield and also having an auxiltrol means manually operable from said pas-.

senger compartment for controlling the operation 01 said auxiliary device and a control means manually operable from said passenger compartment for controlling the operation of said wiper,

said circuit connections being such that the actuation of the control means ior said wiper renders the control means for said auxiliary device ineffective.

13. A windshield cleaner mechanism tor a vehicle having a windshield and a variable speed i a driving motor and also having an electric generator connected at one end thereof with said motor and provided at its other end with a power take-oil, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for oscil- Q lating said wiper, a magnetic coupling operable with slippage when energized, means for electrically energizing said magnetic coupling, said magnetic coupling having a variable speed rotatable input member connected with the power a take-oi! of said generator and a rotatable output member controllable to a substantially constant speed through the control energization o! the magnetic coupling, and means connecting said motion converting means with said output 70 2,332,123

and also having an electric generator connected (5 i2 atoneendthereodwithsaidmotorandprovided at its other end with a power take-oil, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for oscillating said wiper,

means connecting said motion converting means with the power take-on oi said generator including a magnetic coupling operable with continuous slippage when energised, an energizing circuit for said magnetic coupling, and control means connected in said circuit and operable from said compartment ion 01' oscillation from said wiper.

15. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a variable speed driving motor and a compartment provided with a windshield and also having an electric generator connected at one end thereof with said motor and provided at its other endwith a power take-oil, comprising a wiper movable over said windshield, mechanism driven by'said motor including a substantially constant speed magnetic coupling operable with continuous slippage and connected with the power take-on or said generator for actuating said wiper at a selected substantially constant speed for all operating speeds of said motor above a predetermined'value, a circuit for energizing. said coupling. and control means connected in said circuit and operable from said compartment -for varying the energization of the coupling to correspond with said selected substantiallyconstant speed for the wiper.

16. A windshield cleaner mechanism for a vehicle having a windshield and a variable speed driving motor and also having an electric generator connected at one end thereof with said motor and provided at its other end with a power take-on, com-prising a wiper movable over said windshield, motion converting means for oscilw lating said wiper, a rotary magnetic coupling connecting said motion converting means with the power take-011 of said generator and being operable with continuous slippage, a parking switch adapted to be actuated intermittently by said motion converting means for controlling the parking or said wiper, a source or energizing current, a manually operable switch device including a resistance for varying the energization of said magnetic coupling, and circuit connec-,

tions connecting said magnetic coupling and said parking switch with said switch device and enabling the latter to control the energization oi said magnetic coupling either through said resistance or through said parking switch.

HOWARD J. FINDLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi! record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 756,536 Holz Apr. 28, 1903 1,259,861 Henry Mar. 19, 1918 1,534,276 Loclrlin Apr. 21, 1925 1,797,073 Chaflin Mar. 1'7, 1931 2,223,660 Horton Dec. 3, 1940 2,243,016 Pritchard May 20, 1941 2,287,953 Winther June 30, 1942 Whitted Oct. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 545,975 England June 22, 1942 controlling the energization of .said magnetic coupling so as to vary the speed 

